輔酶CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10, Ubiquinone, )，存在於自然界動植物體內，人體可自行合成亦可從食物中獲得。CoQ10 主要功能為協助細胞中粒線體酵素所進行的氧化磷酸化反應(oxidative phosphorylation)，進而產生身體所需的能量(ATP)，並穩定細胞膜結構不受電子或高反應自由基的傷害。因此，許多研究證實CoQ10 在治療心血管疾病、抗腫瘤、啟動細胞呼吸、增強人體免疫力、清除自由基等多方面都有顯著功效，這因為其具有多重的生理功能，CoQ10 得到了廣泛的應用也引起國內外學者的關注，特別是在相同之學理基礎下，CoQ10 被證實可防止皮膚老化與皺紋之產生。由於，CoQ10 在醫學、保健及美容方面之應用極為廣泛，因此CoQ10 具有相當大的市場潛力。本文即針對CoQ10探討其歷史來源、特性及製造方式，特別是強調目前在「微生物」生產方式之發展。

CoQ10 is a naturally occurring fat-soluble substance found throughout nature inmicroorganisms, plants and animals including humans. CoQ10 is a crucial component of the electron transport chain in the mitochondria. The mitochondria are the power plants of thecells and CoQ10 plays an important role in energy production. The energy productionprocess is called oxidative phosphorylation. This is where protein, carbohydrate and fattyacids are broken down to produce energy. Research indicates that CoQ10 has been usedsuccessfully for periodontal disease, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, anginapectoris of the heart, cardiomyopathy of the heart, protection of the heart from the damagingeffects of the chemotherapeutic drug Adriamycin, immune disorders such as AIDS and mostrecently cancer. Since CoQ10 was widely used due to various physiological functions,leading to a surge in further research. Today a multitude of research supports CoQ10's healthbenefits, indicating a huge potential in market applications. The purpose of this study is toreview the history, characteristic and production of CoQ10 to understand the futuredevelopment.